System and method for conserving water and optimizing land and water use

ABSTRACT

Software, databases, computer models, and a series of monitoring devices are provided that are used collectively to optimize farming operations for the purpose of efficiently utilizing the water right associated with the land while recognizing the potential to transfer a proportional amount of the water right in a lease or sale arrangement to other water users. The contemplated system encourages water conservation by allowing those owning water rights to determine the feasibility of changed farming practices intended to maximize net returns and profitability of their overall farming operations.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/076,979, filed Mar. 31, 2011, which claims the benefit ofU.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/319,374, filed Mar. 31, 2010, theentire disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.

This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/680,835, filed Nov. 19, 2012, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Portions of this application are related to the dissertation of StephenW. Smith, PhD., entitled “Strategies for Limited and Deficit Irrigationto Maximize On-Farm Profit Potential in Colorado's South Platte Basin,”submitted to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering ofColorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., Spring 2011, which isincorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to a system,method, and process for monitoring, collecting, and analyzing datarelated to climate conditions, soil moisture, evapotranspiration, returnwater flow, groundwater, water consumption, water balance, and otherdata related to water use to help assess an overall water budget of aparticular parcel or parcels of land. Further, some embodiments of thepresent invention compare current water consumption with historicalwater consumption to allow a water right holder associated with theparcel(s) of land to manage and optimize their agricultural operationsand to trade, lease, or otherwise convey, all or a proportion of thewater right to other uses, both agriculture and non-agriculture (i.e.,municipal, industrial and/or environmental).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Water rights are property rights associated with, but not integrallytied to, a parcel of land and vary depending on the location andjurisdiction where the right is located. For example, much of theeastern United States follows a Riparian water rights model wherein landowners with property located adjacent to a body of water have the rightto make reasonable use thereof. During a water shortage, a land owner'swater allotment is a function of the property's frontage to the watersource. Riparian water rights are therefore conveyed with the land.

In contrast, the scarcity of water in the western United States, such asColorado and other western states, spurred the development of a “priorappropriation” water right model. In a prior appropriation water rightmodel the land owner enjoys a right to apply water to a “beneficial use”subject to a decree. Under a prior appropriation water model, the firstperson to take a quantity of water from a water source for a “beneficialuse,” such as agricultural irrigation, has the right to continue toconsume that quantity of water for that defined purpose indefinitely.Junior users can use the remainder of water available from a particularwater source so long a-s they do not infringe on a senior user's rights.Each individual's water right is associated with a historical yearlyquantity of water that was beneficially used and an appropriation datethat defines the seniority of their right. In some jurisdictions, if onedoes not apply his or her water allotment to a beneficial use over apredetermined period of time, the water right may lapse and a juniorwater rights holder may petition an appropriate governing body forownership of the non-used portion of the senior user's water right.Thus, water rights owners may lose valuable water rights if theyimplement strategies to conserve their consumptive water usage.

However, water rights under the prior appropriation model are not alwaysconnected to the land and can in some circumstances be transferredsimilar to real property. Indeed, some prior appropriation jurisdictionsallow water right holders to sell, or otherwise convey all or a portionof their consumptive use water right to a third party. In thesesituations, the proceeds of the water right sale can be used to offsetthe costs of conservation efforts, which may include loss of croprevenue, decreased crop yield, legal and engineering transaction fees,monitoring instrumentation, flow measurement, and jurisdictionalreporting. More specifically, the water right holder is able to tradehis/her previously-defined water right in a “water market” or “waterbank” to a willing buyer. In practice, a water court, or otheradministrative body, assesses historical water usage data associatedwith a parcel of land, defines and quantifies the total waterappropriation amount for that parcel of land, and approves the amount ofwater that may be sold to a third party.

As one might imagine, many water right holders are interested inconserving their water and monetizing some portion of their water right(see FIG. 1) for economic benefit. However, there is no systematicmethod or system that identifies individual elements of a water right sothat the total amount of water that may be conserved can be estimated.Also, no tool exists that allows the water right holder to estimate theeconomic impact of a proposed water conservation effort and allows themto streamline the bureaucratic process associated with reporting wateruse to facilitate a sale or lease of water.

Thus there is a long-held need to provide a system that optimizesagricultural land and water use and facilitates water conservation byallowing a holder of a water right to assess actual water usage andcompare such quantity with the historical water usage allotment, whereinthe difference between the actual use (actual consumptive use plushistorical return flow obligations) and the historical use (historicalconsumptive use and historical return flow obligations) would beavailable for trade, sale, or lease. One embodiment of a systemcontemplated by the present invention is sometimes referred to herein asSWIM® or Sustainable Water and Innovative Irrigation Management®.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Water Conservation

It is one aspect of embodiments of the present invention to provide asystem for planning optimal limited water use with an associated watermonitoring, data logging, recording, storage, and transmission systemfor use with one or more parcels of land or within ageographically-defined area. One embodiment of the present inventionemploys one or more server-side and client-side applications that arelinked by personal data assistants (“PDAs”), cellular telephones, smartphones, portable computers, or similar devices. The contemplated systemmay include several integrated modules that allow a water user, such asa farmer or ditch company, to model different water use scenariosassociated with crop selection, crop planting locations, crop rotation,and irrigation plans. For example, one system allows a farmer to exploredifferent irrigation techniques with the goal of limiting consumptiveuse water so that an allotment of water for lease or sale to other waterusers can be identified. One embodiment employs an intuitiveuser-friendly graphical interface with modeling and real time (or nearreal time) data verification to the various applications. Additionaldata could be systematically provided to the system through pre-existingremote sensing, mobile, and geographic information systems (GIS). Datasources may be public or private.

In operation, a water requirement associated with a particular parcel(s)of land is determined using individual user and/or system inputs. Suchinputs may include crop type, crop location, geographic location,historic cropping and water use, historic rain or snowfall data,geographic character of the land, field size, field location, plantingschedule, rotation schedule, harvest schedule, etc. Next, water thatcould be conserved is identified by analyzing farmer wishes,environmental conditions, commodity prices, and other relevant data.Farmer's wishes may include acceptable irrigation methods, acceptablecrop varieties, acceptable field size, acceptable income, etc.

At least some environmental condition data may be gathered by one ormore field monitoring systems to help farmers adhere to planned limitedirrigation schemes and provide underpinning of reports to regulatoryagencies. Monitoring may employ various sensors, data collection andstorage devices, and communication devices, which may communicate eitherby wire or wirelessly to a software tool, i.e. a water use and land use“manager” that may be installed on a central server or similar computingdevice. Monitoring may be used to identify environmental conditions on acontinuous real-time basis or pursuant to a predetermined schedule.Monitoring may also provide pre-event or post-event alarms, which maynotify the user of weather events that may affect the irrigationscheduling plan so that adjustments to the system, irrigation schedules,etc. can be made. In this example, the predefined irrigation operationsplan that adheres to a water budget is suggested by a “planner” andaccepted by a farmer during a growing season. Thus, an alarm could betriggered if a storm deposits rainfall onto the parcel, which wouldallow the farmer to alter a pending irrigation event. This functionalitywill also allow the farmer to adjust an irrigation plan to maximize cropproduction.

One goal of embodiments of the present invention is thus to providetools for planning and optimization of water usage and to create a waterasset balance, which allows a water right owner to maximize the returnon the investment and their annual net returns. One intent is tomaximize a land owner's profit tied to their water right and theirfarming operations as opposed to only maximizing crop yield (i.e.,farming operation profit) with little quantification or concern as tothe actual amount of water applied.

Planner

As mentioned above, it is one aspect of the present invention to providea land and water use planning system and method. In one embodiment ofthe system, the farmer inputs various information related to currentwater use and crop configuration into the planning system. This data mayinclude existing and acceptable crop mix i.e., (wheat, sugar beets,corn, sunflower and/or dried beans, etc.), acreage, irrigation method,soil types, water supply, climatic data, rainfall predictions,historical data, return flow from runoff and to groundwater, cropyields, commodity prices, water shares currently controlled, assessmentcosts and amount of water rights currently leased or owned. Informationabout the economics associated with the farm may also be input and usedto project land use changes, alternative practices, and potentialprofit.

The planner will output various information that will help the farmeroptimize land and water use associated with the parcel underconsideration. The planner of one embodiment of the present inventionmay output information related to estimated dollars per acre per crop,suggested cropping patterns and rotation, crop coefficients, historicalwater use, predicted water use, change in net revenues, etc. Croppingplans from individual farms may be aggregated for monitoring,management, and reporting by a land and water management tool, i.e.,“manager.” Further, a water-related portfolio, i.e., an irrigationschedule to be utilized by a water management consortium, a ditchcompany, or other water manager may be generated. Reports required bywater agencies may also be generated. Crop water production functionsand crop coefficients for use in the evapotranspiration rate equationsmay also be used in the projections, including those projections relatedto regulated deficit irrigation and related farming practices.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide aplanning/monitoring system that is easy to use. As one skilled in theart will appreciate, one embodiment of the contemplated planner is to beused primarily by farmers who may have limited time to devote toland/water planning. Thus, one embodiment of the invention employscommon third-party applications and an easy to use input system toencourage use of the planning system.

The “planner” or “planning system,” as used with respect to someembodiments of the invention, refers to a computer program or a modulethereof that is accessible by way of a personal computer, smart phone,or other computing methods known in the art. The planner of oneembodiment gathers data from various sources, some of which comprisedata entered by the land owner and outputs a suggested land/water useplan to the land owner. The land/water use plan may be selectivelyaltered (with a smart phone, a call to a third party who monitors theplan, a laptop, a computer work station, etc.) so that the land ownercan change the land use plan or irrigation schedule as needed. Tomaximize profits from crops and/or water right sales, the planner may beassociated with an optimizer.

Optimizer

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a system thatuses a collection of algorithms, processes, technology, field methods,data, and methodologies that facilitate planning and integration ofother related resources to evaluate and to optimize existing farmingpractices. The goal of one embodiment of the present invention is toimprove farming operations while benefiting from a proportional partingoff of pre-established and pre-quantified water rights. Thus, as wateris budgeted and reapportioned, an individual's share of water may besold or leased to other users for suitable compensation. The optimizerallows a user to consider multiple “willing to grow” strategies andbased upon this input, provide suggestions as to the best use of assets,including the land and water.

Monitors

As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention include anintelligent monitoring scheme (sometimes referred to herein as a“manager” or “management tool”) which can be associated with one or moreparcels of land as an integrated management system. One contemplatedmonitoring system may include a plurality of sensors including, but notlimited to: 1) soil moisture measuring devices such as: tensiometers,neutron probes, gypsum blocks, capacitance sensors, or other soilmoisture and potential measurement technologies and devices; 2)evapotranspiration measuring devices and techniques such as lysimeters,remote thermal unit recorders and data loggers, and thermal (heatsignature) and near infrared imagery; 3) soil chemistry recorders; and4) water quality monitoring devices that measure water temperature, pH,conductivity, and ion concentrators. Further embodiments of themonitoring system may gather information from tracer tests, aquifertests, and satellite and low altitude aerial data gathering techniques.Water flow measurement devices such as flumes, weirs, propeller meters,pressure transducers, shaft encoders, flow velocity sensors, ultrasoniclevel sensors, etc., may also be incorporated into the monitoringsystem. Further, some or all of the contemplated data may be gathered byon-site mobile data acquisition devices.

As weather is critical in assessing the amount of water being used,weather monitoring equipment (i.e., data loggers), such as temperatureand relative humidity probes, precipitation gauges, anemometers andpyranometers may also be employed as part of the overall scheme. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate that Bowen ratio equipment, eddycovariance equipment, scintillometer (used to measure small fluctuationsof the refractive index of air), near infrared and heat signaturecameras, and stationary or vehicle-mounted evapotranspiration sensorsmay also be used to gather data. For example, data related to wind speed(using an anemometer), solar radiation (using a pyranometer),temperature, rainfall, soil moisture (using a tensiometer/neutron probeor soil moisture probe), may be gathered. The purpose of soil moisturesensors could be twofold: 1) soil moisture monitoring to predict whenthe next irrigation should occur (i.e., soil moisture based irrigationscheduling); and 2) monitoring to understand at least the fact of, orthe lack of, subsurface soil moisture movement below the root zone whichwould indicate subsurface return flows. Some or all gathered data may beanalyzed to monitor and assess various desired metrics and generatereports. Evapotranspiration rate equations used in the system include,but are not limited to, the Penman-Monteith equation, the Blaney-Criddleequation, the standardized ASCE equation, and other relevant equations.

In addition, some embodiments of the present invention employ hand-heldmobile communication devices, and stationary and vehicle-mounted sensorsto monitor on-site crop stress and evapotranspiration. Ground levelmeasurements may be used to calibrate or interpret remotely sensedimagery (i.e., thermal, near infrared, etc.). Aircraft mounted andsatellite sensors, used in conjunction with GIS data and remote sensing,which can normalize differences in a vegetative index and othertechniques, may be used to develop an assessment of land and water useand potential for changed practices. Remote sensing may moreparticularly also include near infrared and heat signature datacollection by satellites, airplanes, helicopters, autonomous vehicles,unmanned aerial vehicles (UAFs), unmanned balloons, manned balloons,etc.

As alluded to above, a series of vehicles, such as trucks, vans, and/orall-terrain vehicles may be outfitted with sensors and RGB andnear-infrared cameras. These vehicles could provide access to differentcrop locations, obtain photographs or digital images of crops, andperform onsite analysis or post processing analysis. For example,comparing evapotranspiration and crop stress measurements is afunctional embodiment. Further, by utilizing the latest smart phones,which have advanced web-based or cellular communication functionalityand built-in high quality cameras, it is contemplated that a water rightowner or other party could take a “snap-shot” picture of their crops andfeed the data electronically to the monitoring system by way of asoftware application integrated into the communication device. It isalso envisioned that a farmer or other individual associated with themonitoring systems could use one or more wireless monitors thatcommunicate with a central server or similar device wherein data wouldbe analyzed, reduced, reported, etc.

The list of equipment and techniques discussed above is not inclusive aswill be appreciated by one skilled in the art. In addition, as researchand development continues, monitoring instrumentation, communicationdevices, computing devices, and the technology related thereto maychange and improve and such improvements are deemed to be includedwithin terms such as “sensor”, “monitor”, “instrument”, or other similarterms used herein.

It is another related aspect of embodiments of the present invention tofacilitate energy conservation. Again, some embodiments of the presentinvention facilitate water conservation by allowing individuals toclosely monitor and alter the amount of water being used for irrigationor other beneficial purposes. Accordingly, electrical energy associatedwith water pumps and irrigation system control will necessarily bereduced. In addition, costs associated with growing crops, includingfertilizer, seed, and plant harvesting expense (labor), will be saved.That is, it is contemplated that at least a portion of thepreviously-grown crops will not be grown, because the income fromleasing or selling a portion of the previously-needed water right willbe greater than the profit tied to that crop.

In the agricultural context, the monitoring and planning systems andrelated functionality contemplated herein allows a farmer, engineer,land planner, or others to efficiently and intelligently implement fieldfallowing, rotational field fallowing, dry farming, or regulated deficitirrigation practices on a selectively adjustable schedule to conservewater. For example, depending on the weather affecting a parcel of land,change in economic objectives, or other factors, a farmer may wish tochange their planting or irrigation operational plan. Thus, oneembodiment of the present invention allows a farmer or others toidentify and optimize actual water use on a per crop basis by measuringevapotranspiration rates of water, affirming regulated deficitirrigation programs, and actual consumptive water use on a real-time ornear real-time basis.

It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a system thatproduces reports and comparative data. Often municipalities, ditchcompanies, water districts, state agencies, etc. require periodicreports of water use to compliment and expand their historical data.Embodiments of the present invention generate required reports forsubmission to appropriate organizations, perhaps automatically or atpredetermined intervals. In this way, the farmer or water right buyer orlessee does not have to be concerned with generating and forwarding suchinformation on a periodic basis. Reports will often aid farmers andwater users to ensure successful use and implementation of thetechnology described herein. Further, such reports may be used as arecord of, for example, a farm's efficiency to help that farmer furtheroptimize crop location and rotations or other practices.

As will be appreciated, it is a further aspect of the present inventionthat reports generated by the overall system can be utilized in watercourt and other appropriate judicial or pseudo-judicial bodies toestablish pre-existing water rights so that water, which has beenconserved through implementation of various conservation technologiesand/or techniques, etc., can be sold or leased. Accordingly, it iscontemplated that the reports generated by the system can be thebackbone of a request by a water right holder to an appropriateorganization to receive the legal right to sell or lease a certainamount of their water rights. Once that judicial declaration has beenreceived, the water right owner can then proceed to the open market tosell or lease their right proportionally, thus capturing the value oftheir right and perhaps offsetting the cost of changed practices.

The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should it beconstrued as being representative of the full extent and scope of thepresent invention. Moreover, references made herein to “the presentinvention” or aspects thereof should be understood to mean certainembodiments of the present invention and should not necessarily beconstrued as limiting all embodiments to a particular description. Thepresent invention is set forth in various levels of detail in theSummary of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and theDetailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the scopeof the present invention is intended by either the inclusion ornon-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of theInvention. Additional aspects of the present invention will become morereadily apparent from the Detail Description, particularly when takentogether with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the general description of the invention given above andthe detailed description of the drawings given below, serve to explainthe principles of these inventions.

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing the change in net revenues and profitthat may be realized by users of embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a water balance diagram associated with a river and ditch orcanal system;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing implementation of one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a farm employing a monitoring system of oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustrating a system architecture used by oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a data storage system architecture used by one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 7 planner optimization system flow;

FIG. 8 is a table showing the primary elements of the optimization modelof one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 shows a graphical user interface associated with inputtingcurrent field farming practices in the planner of one embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 10 shows a graphical user interface associated with a cropselection portion of the planner of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a graphical user interface showing an optimized land andwater use plan generated by the planner of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 12 is a graphical user interface showing the water allotment for anoptimized land and water use plan generated by the planner of oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a sample management report generated by the planner of oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 shows a system for monitoring water flow from a parcel of landto a channel;

FIG. 15 is an illustration of mobile sensors and instruments employed byone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a schematic showing a computer network used by someembodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic showing a computer network used by someembodiments of the present invention.

To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the presentinvention the following list of components and associated numberingfound in the drawings is provided herein:

# Component  100 Change in net returns  102 Historic revenues  104Historic net returns  106 Future revenues  108 Modeled net returns  110Change in net returns  202 River  204 Diversion  206 Canal  208 Tail endreturns  210 On-farm conveyance  212 Irrigation  214 Consumptive use(CU)  216 Saved CU  218 Surface return flow (Run-off)  220 Subsurfacereturn flow (deep percoloation)  222 Conveyance losses and subsurfacereturn flows returned to river  300 Irrigation management implementationscheme    300P Planning/modeling phase   300D Design implementationphase    300F Farming/maintenance phase  302 General data  304 Historicdata  306 Model constraints  308 Optimization tool  310 OptimizationResults  312 Aggregated results  314 Are farm or ditch changes needed? 330 Farm redesign  332 Irrigation system construction  334 Diversionstructure construction  336 Measurement/check structures construction 338 Installation of monitoring and communication equipment  340Configuration of data collection software  342 Installation of controlequipment  360 Implement cropping plan  362 Data collection  364Irrigation scheduler  400 Monitoring System  402 Monitor  404 Field  406Crops  408 Work station  410 Aerial data collection  412 Weather station 414 Satellite data collection  416 Full irrigation  418 Regulateddeficit irrigation  420 Fallowed field  500 SWIIM system architecture 502 Client  504 Internet  506 Firewall  508 SQL server  510 GIS Server 512 SCADA Instrumentation  514 Application Server  600 Farmeractivities  602 Client application  604 Water cooperative activities 606 Local storage  608 Global server  700 Data entry  702 Optimization 704 Store results  706 Upload preferred crop plan to coop 1400 Systemfor monitoring water flow 1402 Stilling well 1404 Solar panel 1406Channel 1408 Remote transmission unit 1410 Radio 1500 Mobile datagathering system 1502 Vehicle 1504 Data collection array 1508 Nearinfrared (NIR) camera 1510 Thermal camera 1512 RGB Camera 1514 Antenna1600 System 1605 Computers 1610 Computers 1615 Computers 1620 Network1625 Server computer 1630 Application server 1635 Data base 1700Computer system 1705 CPU 1710 Input device 1715 Output device 1720Storage device 1725 Media reader 1730 Communications system 1735Processing acceleration unit 1740 Memory 1745 Operating system 1750 Code1755 Bus

It should be understood that the drawings are not to scale. In certaininstances, details that are not necessary for an understanding of theinvention or that render other details difficult to perceive may havebeen omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the invention isnot necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustratedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A water balance of the river, canal, or the farm is a useful means ofunderstanding the sources of and the destinations of water. FIG. 2provides a conceptual rendering of a water balance analysis, from theriver diversion downstream to the on-farm distribution system.Basically, what this illustrative graphic shows is what happens to wateronce it is diverted from the river 202 into a ditch or canal 206 forirrigation purposes. In many ditch company operations, the character ofthe water changes significantly as one moves downstream in the canal.Colloquially, some would say that the “color” of the water changes; areference to where the water came from, or where it is bound, or itsdecreed use.

After diversion into an earthen canal, the diverted flow immediatelybegins to diminish because of conveyance losses, the most notable ofwhich is seepage. Other losses are attributable to phreatophytes andevaporation from the water surface. Seepage can be quite significantespecially over the full length of the canal and is likely the singlehighest source of loss in earthen canals. Most seepage returns to theriver as subsurface flows 222 and the time it takes to actually arriveat the river is a function of distance from the river and thecharacteristics of the alluvium. This seepage can vary considerably overthe length of a canal as well. With a water right change case, thishistoric surface and subsurface return flow pattern must be maintainedinto the future.

Moving downstream through the canal, some water returns to the river viathe end of the canal as wastage or operational spill 208. Some canalshave historically diverted a generous amount of water to assist withpractical canal operations. It is easier to deliver equitable flows tocanal headgates, especially those at the end of the canal, if the canalis flowing nicely with excess water that can be returned to the riverfor other downstream users.

Continuing reference to FIG. 2, a headgate delivery to the farm hassimilar water balance characteristics as with the main canal. However,the headgate delivery frequently represents the point at which thecompany's delivery responsibility ends and the individual farmer'sresponsibility begins. Downstream of the farm headgate, there are oftenon-farm conveyances 210 (ponds and delivery ditches) from which thereare losses, and again, those loses are most notably seepage thatconstitutes historic return flows that must be maintained.

Once water is delivered to on-farm irrigated fields, and on through theassociated farm irrigation systems, the key elements of irrigation watercan be identified as consumptive use 214 (“CU”), surface return flows218, and subsurface return flows 220. Within the consumptive use amount,there is a proportion that may be appropriately termed “conserved” or“saved” or “set-aside” CU 216. This amount is the water that might beconsidered for its higher economic value. The total amount of quantifiedCU can be evaluated in terms of a water budget. The CU volume can beconsidered, along with old or new proportional uses, and within theconfines of the water budget.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of an irrigation management implementation scheme300 of one embodiment of the invention. Here, the system includes threedistinct analytical phases. A planning/modeling phase 300P, a designimplementation phase 300D, and a farming/maintenance phase 300F.

The planning/modeling phase 300P begins by having a farmer, or otheruser, input general data 302 about the farm, such as field information(FIG. 9), crops being grown (FIG. 10), etc. Historic farm practices 304related to current irrigation and planting schedules are also inputtedinto the planning tool. Other model constraints 306 are then enteredsuch as minimum and/or maximum crop areas, which crops a farmer iswilling to grow on a field-by-field basis and limits on applied water.Next, an optimization tool 308 is run and desired model results 310 aregenerated. FIGS. 11 and 12 are examples of these results which will bediscussed below. Alternative scenarios may be run by the farmer and besaved or discarded as the user wishes. The graphic, GIS map, and tabularinputs and outputs will be customized for particular use by the farm,regulators, ditch companies, etc. The farmer must then assess whetherexisting farming or irrigation schemes should be changed 314. If changesto the system are made, the planning/modeling phase 300P is rerun. Ifaggregated model results from multiple farming operations 312necessitate farm or ditch changes to support any subsequent lease andreturn flow requirements, the design implementation phase 300D of thesystem is commenced.

More specifically, during the planning/modeling phase 300P a farmer orfarmers will use the planner to input relevant data into an optimizingmodule to provide at least one optimized cropping plan that maximizesincome while meeting a prearranged water lease, sale, or alternativeland use agreements. Using the planner's map interface, a farmer will beable to trace fields, preferred crop planting plans, and enter datarequired for the optimization process. The data required for theoptimization process may include general farm data, historical farmingpractice data and other constraints required for the economicoptimization model. The farmer will run the model and evaluate theresults. If desired, the farmer can modify the constraints and rerun themodel until satisfied with the results. Once satisfied with the proposedcropping plan, the farmer will submit it for the next planting year to aWater Cooperative, for example, for approval. In some instances theWater Cooperative will aggregate all of the farmers' cropping plans toensure that the proper amount of irrigation water will be available tomeet any prearranged water lease agreements. If there is a shortfall orexcess water for lease, the Water Cooperative will work with selectedfarmers to adjust their plans accordingly. If a farmer has never leaseda portion of irrigation water, changes may be required to thecanal/on-farm delivery systems to handle recharge requirements, increaseirrigation efficiency, etc. If changes are required, the tasks in theDesign/Implementation Phase 300D may be required. Otherwise the annualFarming/Maintenance Phase 300F applies.

The design implementation phase 300 may include redesigning, adapting,or reconfiguring the farm(s) as needed 330, irrigation system 332construction, water diversion structure 334 construction, and/ormeasurement and check structure 336 construction. New rechargestructures at the farm or ditch level may be suggested as required bythe plan. In this phase, instrumentation and communication equipment arealso installed 338 and data collection software is implemented 340 topull data from and/or push data to the monitors described above.Off-the-shelf systems used may include, but not be limited to, RubiconWater's SCADAConnect, Motorola's MOSCAD, and Campbell ScientificLoggerNet dataloggers and weather stations. Data may also be collectedfrom existing weather data networks such a-s CoAgMet in Colorado, CIMISin California, or other state or federally-supported data network.Controls and communications equipment are also installed 342.Off-the-shelf irrigation control systems used may include, but are notlimited to, the Hunter Industries, Inc. ACC control system, Acclima,Inc. soil moisture sensors and controls, Baseline Controls, ET WaterSystems, and Toro Irrigation controls. This phase of the system 300Dpositions the farm for monitoring required to support leasing any wateras part of a water use change case.

Implementation of the optimized land and water use plans may comprisecanal planning so that a portion of its water may be leased which mayentail consultants/contractors to redesign or update the designs ofexisting irrigation systems, groundwater recharge systems, and waterdiversion structures. This analysis may require installation of new orupgraded measurement and/or check structures. To meet some reportingrequirements to prove that water is being handled properly, SupervisoryControl and Data Acquisition (SCADA)/weather station and other suitableinstrumentation may be installed to monitor water inflow/outflows,calculate consumptive use (CU) and help accurately deliver water tofields in accordance with the cropping plans and water leasearrangements. Further, if a farmer has changed irrigation methods fromsurface irrigation to drip or sprinkler, the farmer will generally alsoinstall a control system to help schedule irrigations. The SCADA/weatherstation and control software systems contemplated herein will beconfigured to properly operate within the constraints of the new landand water use plan.

If the aggregate model results from multiple farming operations(cropping plans and water leases) 312 can be accommodated without anyneeded farm or ditch changes, the farming/maintenance phase 300F willcommence, which requires planting the fields per the optimized land useplan 360 and collecting real-time temperature and climate data 362, forexample. The irrigation schedule of the crops 364 will be set and theactual practices being performed will be recorded, which includesharvest data, etc. In the farming/maintenance phase 300F of the process,the system will also generally be tasked with generating a plurality ofneeded and/or desired reports 368 which often will be related toseasonal actual data and periodic water use. One skilled in the art willappreciate that the planning/modeling phase 300P may be run at any timeto further optimize the planting and irrigation of a farm.

More specifically, assuming the infrastructure is in place to supportthe leasing of water (i.e., canal water delivery measurement andcontrols, consumptive use monitoring, groundwater recharge structures,etc.), farmers participating in a Water Cooperative will plant cropsaccording to their cropping plan submitted to and agreed on by the WaterCooperative. The Water Cooperative will deliver the appropriate amountof water to the farmers and monitor, via the SCADA instrumentation, howmuch water is delivered to each farm, how much water runs off andcalculate consumptive use on a regular basis. This constitutes a waterbalance monitoring approach of irrigation water and farm operations.

The manager's monitoring functionality will be used to monitor waterbudgets and plant physiology to determine possible irrigation schedulesfor the farm on a regular basis so the farmer can apply the properirrigation amounts in accordance with an annual water budget associatedwith the farm. As farmers harvest crops they will use and tune a cropwater production function and will be able to calibrate/improve theoptimization curve used by planner. This will result in more accurateyield predictions in the Optimizer. The Water Cooperative will generatereports required by regulatory agencies as well as reports of projectedversus actual results. As the system is used, the land and water useoptimization model will be improved based on measured results.

FIG. 4 shows a monitoring system 400 that assesses water consumptionassociated with a given area. A monitor 402 having at least one sensoris positioned in or adjusted to a field 404 having a plurality of crops406. The monitor 402 includes an antenna with wireless devices, fortransmitting information to a centralized location 408 for assessment.The information may also be saved and/or forwarded to an offsitelocation for storage and analysis. Such transmissions may also beaccomplished by traditional, i.e., non-wireless means (not shown).Information may also be obtained from aerial photography or sensing 410,local weather stations 412, ground level measurements, and satelliteimagery 414.

In one embodiment, land and water use is optimized using inputsregarding farmer acceptable land use, etc. The outputted plan tells thefarmer which fields to use full irrigation 416, which fields to useregulated deficit irrigation 418, and how to rotate the crops in thosefields. Alternatively the planner will advise the farmer to fallow afield 420. The planning and scheduling functionality of the contemplatedsystem allows the farmer to maximize profits as a function of crop yieldand water allocation sales.

Collected field data (water monitoring) is forwarded to a remote server(as shown in FIG. 5) and analyzed by the manager to assess the actualwater needed to achieve or monitor a predetermined seasonal waterbudget. The system models base their results at least partially on cropsbeing grown, water runoff, soil moisture, aerial and satellite data, andonsite data acquisition, which may include remote web-based camerasplaced strategically throughout the sites being monitored, etc. Itshould also be understood that the system collects and sends data to andfrom various sensors, which can be stationary or mobile data gatheringdevices, via RF transmission protocols and related methods, or in otherways known by those of skill in the art. Instruments may communicatecollected data to and receive data or instructions from a remote server,such as a hosted server (see FIG. 6), via any appropriate communicationsnetwork, such a-s a network using an RF router, or supply informationover an internet communication system.

The overall communication network which may be used with one embodimentof the disclosed system may, in fact, be any combination ofcircuit-switched, packet-switched, analog, digital, wired, and wirelesscommunication equipment and infrastructure suitable for transmittingsignals to a server. The communication network therefore may include oneor more of the following: intranet, internet, a cellular communicationsystem, a wireless data system, a publically switched telephone network,a private telephone network, a satellite communication system, or apoint-to-point microwave system. Depending upon the particularcommunication network utilized, the system may send and receive signalsin accordance with a wireless application protocol, FCC 802.11standards, a proprietary protocol, or other types of communicationprotocols.

An example of a suitable wireless link between the system and acommunication network is a wireless internet link wherein the data isrouted to a hosted server based on an IP address. The server maydecipher the incoming signals (which may or may not be encrypted) toextract appropriate data. The data may next be processed to generateinformation which can be displayed or otherwise presented to interestedparties through various user interfaces (see FIG. 11). These userinterfaces could, but need not be, a web browser application running ona computer connected to a server through the internet. Utilizing themanager, a user can access the server and view collected data, analyzedata, generate reports, request that certain analysis be conducted, etc.Additional security and authentication mechanisms, as are generallyknown in the field, may also be utilized in some circumstances.

As will be understood by those of skill in the art, information couldalso be transmitted by the server or other devices of the system in anyof the fashions identified above or a-s generally known. The host servercould also include one or more input and output devices which mayfacilitate bidirectional flow of information between the overall systemand the server and users or other devices. If data received from theremote site indicates fault conditions at the site being monitored,alarms or other notifications can also be triggered at the site, at thehosted server, or at another location. Further, instructions to addressthe alert condition can be sent where appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 5, users, i.e. farmers, access the system's clientapplications, i.e., the planner and the manager, in any conventionalmanner using any suitable communication device, including the internet,to constantly or periodically monitor their land and water use project,access reports, communicate with equipment that adjust certain equipmentparameters, etc. Users typically will not, however, through use ofappropriate security software, be allowed to monitor data collected onother projects which may also reside upon the global server.

In one embodiment of the present invention, users utilize work stationcomputers or mobile devices to access the server and potentially savesome site-specific data on the user's computer. These computing deviceswill typically include at least an output device, such as a videomonitor or display, and an input device, such as a keyboard or computermouse. Other types of input and output devices can be used in somecircumstances. For example, the output device may include a speaker andthe input device may include a microphone, a touch screen, joy stick, ortouch pad. In accordance with known techniques, the computer willtypically be connected to the internet. An example of a suitableconnection includes establishing a communication link through aninternet service provider and modem or other device connected to acommunication infrastructure, such as a cable communication system orpacket-switched telecommunication network. In some circumstances, othertechniques could be used to establish a communication link between auser and the server. Other modern and suitable communication links arealso envisioned.

A wireless communication system is employed by one embodiment which mayinclude a cellular telephone system with packet-switched mobile datacapabilities, such as ARDIS, RAM, or CDPD services. The systems providea communication data packet formed offline and a header and errorcorrection that is added before transmission. A dedicated communicationlink, therefore, need not be utilized. In some situations, acircuit-switched dedicated communication link may be used. For example,a dial-in wireless internet connection service over the cellulartelephone system can be used for the wireless communication link. Somewireless communication systems, for example, provide wireless internetaccess with the user of a wireless modem that can be connected to alaptop computer, mobile computing device (smart phone), or personaldigital assistant. The wireless communication system may utilize anycommunication protocol and modulation, such as, for example, co-divisionmultiple access (CDMA), time-division multiple access (TDMA), advancemobile phone services (AMPS), general packet radio service (GPRS), orglobal system for mobile communications (GSM) in accordance with knowntechniques.

In some circumstances, a cellular voice channel may be used to transmitdata to the server. In such a circumstance, the monitoring device or theoverall system typically may establish a cellular call with the modemconnected to a server, either directly or through a network. The callcan be terminated after data has been transferred and reestablished asneeded, or it may be maintained throughout the monitoring process.

As will be understood by those of skill in the art, it is thuscontemplated that data collected by a monitor or to be sent to a monitorcan be sent in analog or digital formats, and that appropriate circuitrycan be utilized to convert the data between various available signalforms.

The general system architecture 500 of one embodiment of the presentinvention utilizes a general client server structure where any number ofclients 502 (such as Windows® clients) work via the internet 504 withsupporting servers 510 (such as hosted or GIS servers). In turn, theservers may preferably use a back-end SQL server 508 to store criticaldata, though those skilled in the art will understand that such criticaldata could also be stored in many other fashions, including on theprimary servers. In one embodiment of the present invention, the SQLserver 508 is firewalled 506 for added security of client data. In apreferred system, each client will store data locally and only forwardnecessary data to the application server 514 as required to implementand monitor a real change in water usage practices.

The term “SCADA” (acronym for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)as used in FIG. 5 is a generalization for not only SCADA systems, butalso weather stations and other data collection software used inconjunction with the systems as contemplated in this disclosure. SCADAplug-ins may be created on an as-needed basis. Each plug-in will providesummary operational data from a given SCADA system into the SQL Serverdatabase for management and reporting purposes. The server will providethe unique business model functionality of the invention including butnot limited to the optimization model used to optimize farmer's croppingplans and irrigation water use. GIS data used by the system will comefrom several sources including but not limited to public sources ofsatellite and aerial photography, such as Bing, Google Maps, ESRI, orother internet based GIS tools for wide-area-canal, well, river, roads,etc. map layers. Finally, the farmer himself is a GIS data source forfarm related crop practice data that will be stored locally on thefarmer's own computer. In one embodiment of the present invention, thesystem will provide varying functionality according to the role of theuser, which includes, but is not limited to farmers, ditch companyadministrators, and system administrators. The farmers through thesystem will have the general functionality of water and crop useplanning, irrigation scheduling, and follow up reporting. Ditch companyor water cooperative administrators will have the ability to plan alarge scale crop and water use plan, water tracking, and regulatorywater use reporting. The system administrator will have thefunctionality of the farmer and the irrigation specialist and furtherhave the ability for general data maintenance and system performance andmonitoring.

SCADA is fundamental to implementation of the concepts associated withone embodiment of the invention. Generic definitions are appropriate tohelp describe basic SCADA concepts. The “central system” is amicrocomputer-based and interface software used to communicate withremote sites. The software that provides an umbrella over everything iscalled a “human-machine interface” or HMI. The remote sites include a“remote terminal unit” or RTU. The HMI software can be proprietary andpublished by the manufacturer of the hardware, or it can be more genericand published by software companies that write more generic HMI programsthat are compatible with the hardware of many manufacturers. Flexibleand broadly compatible software application programs are known asWonderware, Lookout, and Intellution, as examples.

As shown in FIG. 6, the system client applications 600 willstore/retrieve key map data from both local storage 606 and from acentral server 608 by way of the internet or other appropriate method.Various crop planting scenarios will be creatable by the farmer (user)and saved as separate maps wherein each crop planting scenario will haveits own ‘map’. The user will be able to duplicate a scenario, rename it,change some of the inputs and run a new analysis. The application 602will retrieve common base layers from a GIS server 608 and the farmer'sscenario layers from local storage 606. When a crop planting scenario issubmitted as, for example, a “Farming Year 20—Cropping Plan”, theheretofore local map layers 606 will be pushed to the server 608 wherethey will then be accessible by Water Cooperatives 604 for watermanagement in keeping with state monitoring and reporting requirementsassociated with any water transfers.

As described above, the planner may work in concert with an optimizationmodule that maximizes the economic value that factors in the farmer'sconsumptive use of water. Moreover, the optimizer, after analyzingvarious practices available to the farmer will assist in setting thestage for future farming operations that may have a favorable overalleffect on the farmer's annual income. The optimizer of one embodimentconsiders the practices, or a combination of practices, that lendthemselves to an annual consumptive use water budget scheme. Forexample, in any given year, practices may include: 1) regulated deficitirrigation; 2) introduction of new crops, including perennial crops; 3)permanent fallowing or rotational fallowing; 4) introduction of drylandcrops; 5) continued full irrigation of selected crops; 6) crop rotations(implies multiple years); and 7) combinations thereof. In followingyears, a farmer might choose different combinations of these alternativepractices.

The flow of user experience is conceptualized in FIG. 7. Here, the userenters or changes data 700 related to fields, crops, irrigation, andother practices, and then runs the optimization model. If the results ofa particular optimization run 702 are of interest, then the results canbe stored 704. When optimization of a particular parcel of land isfinalized, the data generated can be uploaded 706 into a larger databasefor inclusion into larger operations plans that can be adopted by aditch company or a cooperative operating entity.

The optimization model of one embodiment is broadly defined inconsideration of the elements that characterize all mathematicaloptimization models, namely the parameters, decision variables,constraints, and the primary objective function. The objective functionis defined for the purposes of this Model to be the maximized projectednet returns to the farming operation. The optimizer is often tasked withidentifying a land/water use plan that yields the highest “net return”.“Net return” is generally defined as the income from an investment afterdeducting all expenses from the gross income generated by theinvestment. In a farming operation “net return” is defined to comprisefarm revenues minus the fixed operating costs. Net return has also beenmore aptly defined as the return to land and management. Farm netreturns, by definition, does not include land costs, interest, taxes,and other costs that are fixed regardless of irrigation decision.

-   -   Thus, as used herein, net returns=net crop price×crop yield        minus irrigated crop production costs minus cost of water×depth        of irrigation applied

The decision variables used by the optimizer include assumptions andvalues for all inputs costs, crop yields, and crop prices. The optimizermay also use default decision variables, which may be obtained from theNational Agricultural Statistics Service database(http://www.nass.usda.gov/) but with minor inputs of data from otherperipheral sources when the NASS database did not have the needed data.In some instances the defaults may be place holders that allow for quickdata input. It is envisioned that the optimizer's input data obtained bythe planner can easily be changed for farm-specific circumstances, orexperience, or for that matter, contractual pricing that may beobligatory. One of skill in the art will also appreciate that thedefault data should also be changed when farm current market influencesneed to be recognized. Examples of significant influences are increasedmarket price for corn as influenced by the decline of ethanol plantdemands or increased price for wheat as influenced by Russian exports ofwheat.

In one embodiment, the optimizer uses four categories of crops. Cropcategories and the underlying assumptions with those crops are:

-   -   1. Full Irrigation (Enough irrigation to maximize yield or        profit)        -   Yield=f(crop, soil type)=constant        -   Water for fully irrigated yield is f(crop, soil            type)=constant        -   Fixed production costs>0        -   Variable production costs>0        -   Price>0    -   2. Dryland (No irrigation)        -   Yield=f(crop, soil type)        -   Water=0        -   Fixed production costs>0        -   Variable production costs>0        -   Price>0    -   3. Fallow (No crop, but weeds must be controlled after an        establishment period so there are fixed production costs)        -   Yield=0        -   Water=0        -   Fixed production costs>0        -   Variable production costs=0        -   Price=0    -   4. Deficit irrigation (The crop is irrigated with 10 to 90% of        the amount of irrigation to achieve maximum yield in 10%        bracketed increments)        -   Yield=f(crop, soil type, irrigation method, irrigation): a            nonlinear function        -   Fixed production costs>0        -   Variable production costs>0        -   Price>0

The optimizer of one embodiment uses the following list of crops:

Fallow Fully Irrigated Corn - grain Fully Irrigated Corn - silage FullyIrrigated Winter Wheat Fully Irrigated Barley Fully Irrigated AlfalfaFully Irrigated Pinto Beans Fully Irrigated Sugarbeets Fully IrrigatedOnions Fully Irrigated Cabbage Fully Irrigated Carrots Deficit IrrigatedCorn - grain Deficit Irrigated Corn - silage Deficit Irrigated WinterWheat Deficit Irrigated Barley Deficit Irrigated Alfalfa DeficitIrrigated Pinto Beans Deficit Irrigated Sugarbeets Dryland Corn DrylandWinter Wheat Dryland Barley Dryland Alfalfa Dryland Canola DrylandSorghum Dryland Millet Dryland SunflowerOne of skill in the art will appreciate that this list is not exhaustiveand will be at least partially on market trends, legality of crop,climate etc. Further, some crops are not allowed (not listed) a-s“deficit irrigated” or “dryland” under the presumption that these cropswould not be grown as a practical matter, in some areas, under deficitirrigated or dryland conditions.

In addition, the planner optimizer will take into account the farmer'spreferences. For example, the farmer may require a minimum amount ofacres of a certain crop to be grown, i.e., corn to feed cattle. Also,the farmer will not grow a crop if money will be lost, with theexception of fallowing. Thus, the farmer will be given preferencesrelated to acceptable crop(s) he or she is willing to grow which can beinput on a field by field basis.

The constraints associated with the optimizer include decisions and/orassumptions that are associated with the overall farm operation or theassumptions for the pending year under evaluation. Examples ofconstraints are: 1) the minimum and maximum acreage of the various cropsto be grown; and 2) willingness to employ certain practices (deficitirrigation, fallowing, etc). FIG. 8 summarizes the primary elements ofthe optimization model and provides examples of defining equations.

Again, FIG. 1 graphically shows the inputs to the optimizer compared tothe optimized (modeled) net return. A successful run of the optimizerindicates the projected net return 108 associated with the crops to begrown along with crop yields, the practices to be adopted, and theanticipated unit prices 106. This modeled net return can then becontrasted with the historic net return 104 from the farming operation.

Mathematically, the equations employed by the optimizer of oneembodiment are expressed by the following series of equations with theassociated variables defined in Tables 1-3 provided below:

${NR}_{farm} = {{\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{nfld}{{fldsize}_{f}.}} = \begin{Bmatrix}{{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \cdot {NR}_{f,{ndi}}} \right\}} +} \\{{\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{\sum\limits_{s = 1}^{numDIWat}\left\{ {{selDI}_{f,{di}} \cdot {selDIWat}_{f,s} \cdot {NR}_{f,{di},s}} \right\}}} -} \\{\left\lbrack {1 - {\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}}} - {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{selDI}_{f,{di}}}} \right\rbrack \cdot {falcost}}\end{Bmatrix}}$

-   -   Where:        -   Net return for the farm (NR farm) is the field size times            the net return per acre for the field for non-deficit            irrigated crops (first term), deficit irrigated crop (second            term), and fallow (third term).        -   Net return for the field is net return of the non-deficit            irrigated crop (NRf,ndi), if grown (selNDIf,ndi=1 for some            ndi),    -   OR    -   net return of the deficit irrigation crop (NRf, di,s) at the        selected level of deficit irrigation (selDIWatf,s=1 for some s),        if grown (selDIf,di=1 for some di),    -   OR        -   the cost of fallow if no crop is grown selNDIf,ndi=0 for all            ndi and selDIf,di=0 for all di).        -   Net return for a field f and a crop (ndi or di) is net            return minus the fixed costs for the crop minus the variable            costs of irrigation minus the fixed costs of irrigation.        -   NRf,ndi is net return for NDI crop ndi in field f:            NR _(f,ndi) =[P _(ndi) −vc _(ndi) ]·yld _(f,ndi) −fc _(ndi)            −[nir _(f,ndi) /aeff _(f) ]·vic _(f) −fic _(f)            Where: nirf,ndi is net irrigation requirement for full yield            of crop ndi in field f. NRf,di,s is net return for a deficit            irrigation (DI) crop di in field f with deficit irrigation            water level s. For deficit irrigated crops, the yield and            the variable costs of irrigation depend on the irrigation(s)            selected.            NR _(f,di,s) [p _(di) −vc _(di) ]·yld _(f,di) ·ryld _(f,s)            −[nir _(f,di) /aeff _(f) ]·rirr _(s) ·vic _(f) −fic _(f) −fc            _(di)

In this equation, the relationship between yield and irrigation isdescribed as a relationship between the proportion of net irrigationrequirement of the crop and proportion of full yield (yield if netirrigation requirement of the crop is fully met). In other words, thecrop water production function is defined as ryld˜rirr. Morespecifically, the crop water production function is incorporated in themodel as numDIWat paired values of ryld and rirr.

When all of the mathematical detail described above is combined into oneequation:

${NR}_{farm} = {\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{numfld}{{fldsize}_{f} \cdot \left\{ {{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\left\lbrack {p_{ndi} - {vc}_{ndi}} \right\rbrack \cdot {yld}_{f,{ndi}}} - {fc}_{ndi} - {\left\lbrack \left( {{nir}_{f,{ndi}}/{aeff}_{f}} \right) \right\rbrack \cdot {vic}_{f}} - {fic}_{f}} \right\rbrack} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{{selDI}_{f,{di}} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\sum\limits_{s = 1}^{numDIWat}\left\{ {{selDIWat}_{f,s} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\left\lbrack {p_{di} - {vc}_{di}} \right\rbrack \cdot {yld}_{f,{di}} \cdot {ryld}_{f,s}} - {\left\lbrack \frac{{nir}_{f,{di}}}{{aeff}_{f}} \right\rbrack \cdot {rirr}_{f,s} \cdot {vic}_{f}}} \right\rbrack} \right\}} - {fic}_{f} - {fc}_{di}} \right\rbrack}} - {\left\lbrack {1 - {\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}}} - {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{selDI}_{f,{di}}}} \right\rbrack \cdot {falcost}}} \right\}}}$

Decision variables are binary:selNDI_(f,ndi); selDI_(f,di);selDIWat_(f,s), and are based on a farmer decision on whether to grow acrop in a given field:

selNDI_(f,ndi)≦willNDI_(f,ndi) for all ndi,f

selDI_(f,di)≦willDI_(f,di) for all di, f

The optimizer also places a limit on the amount of water availablepursuant to the following formula:

${\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{numfld}\left\{ {\frac{fsize}{{aeff}_{f}} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \cdot {nir}_{f,{ndi}}} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}\left\{ {{selDI}_{f,{di}} \cdot {nir}_{f,{di}} \cdot {\sum\limits_{s = 1}^{numDIwat}\left\{ {{selDIWat}_{f,s} \cdot {rirr}_{f,s}} \right\}}} \right\}}} \right\rbrack} \right\}} \leq {{total}\mspace{14mu}{irrigation}\mspace{14mu}{water}}$

Further optimizer assumes a maximum of one crop per field:

${{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}\left\{ {selDI}_{f,{di}} \right\}}} \leq {1\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu} f}$

The constraint below indicates that an irrigation level(selDIWat_(f,s)=1 for some s) is selected for a field only if a DI cropis grown in a field (selDI_(f,di)=1 for some di).

For a field, if selDI_(f,di)=0 for all di then selDIWat_(f,s) must beequal to zero for all s. Sum of selDI_(f,di) for all di has a maximum ofone, so sum of selDIWat_(f,s) has a maximum of one.

${\sum\limits_{s = 1}^{numDIWat}\left\{ {selDIWat}_{f,s} \right\}} \leq {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{\left\{ {selDI}_{f,{di}} \right\}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu} f}}$

Another constraint in that the crops must meet the farmer's minimum andmaximum acreage:

$\begin{matrix}{{minac}_{ndi} \leq {\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{numfld}\left\{ {{fldsize}_{f} \cdot {selNDI}_{f,{ndi}}} \right\}} \leq {{maxac}_{ndi}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu}{ndi}}} \\{{minac}_{di} \leq {\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{numfld}\left\{ {{fldsize}_{f} \cdot {selDI}_{f,{di}}} \right\}} \leq {{maxac}_{di}\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu}{di}}}\end{matrix}$

The farmer's wishes as to the minimum and/or maximum number of acres offallow is considered by using the following equation:

${minac}_{fallow} \leq {\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{numfld}\left\{ {{fldsize}_{f} \cdot \left\lbrack {1 - {selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} - {selDI}_{f,{di}}} \right\rbrack} \right\}} \leq {maxac}_{fallow}$

Finally, the optimizer dictates that the return from any crop must coveroperating costs (NR>0):

${{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \cdot {NR}_{f,{ndi}}} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}\left\{ {{selDI}_{f,{di}} \cdot {NR}_{f,{di}}} \right\}}} \geq {0\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu} f}$

OR the net return from any crop must be greater than the cost of fallow:

${{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \cdot {NR}_{f,{ndi}}} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}\left\{ {{selDI}_{f,{di}} \cdot {NR}_{f,{di}}} \right\}}} \geq {0\mspace{14mu}{for}\mspace{14mu}{all}\mspace{14mu} f}$

TABLE 1 Model Input Variable Descriptions. Name Units Description Typefalcost $/ac Cost of fallow input fc_(ndi or di) $/ac Fixed cost forgrowing crop di or input crop ndi fic_(f) $/ac Fixed cost of irrigationinput fldsize_(f) ac Size of field f input nfld integer Number of fieldson the farm input minac_(ndi or di) ac Minimum number of acres of cropndi input or di that the grower will grow maxac_(ndi or di) ac Maximumnumber of acres of crop input ndi or di that the grower will growp_(ndi or di) $/yield Selling price of crop di or crop ndi input unitTotal ac-ft Total amount of water that can be input available applied asirrigation water vc_(ndi or di) $/yield Costs for crop DI or NDI thatdepend input unit on the yield (currently harvest costs) vic_(f) $/(ac-Variable irrigation costs - depends on input ft/ac) the amount ofirrigation used willDI_(f,di) binary 1 if grower is willing to grow cropdi input in field f, 0 otherwise willNDI_(f,ndi) binary 1 if grower iswilling to grow crop ndi input in field f, 0 otherwise

TABLE 2 Model Optimization Name Units Description Type selDI_(f,di)binary 1 if NDI crop ndi is selected for decision field f; 0 if notvariable selDIWat_(f,s) binary 1 if this level s of deficit irrigationdecision is chosen for field f; variable 0 otherwise selNDI_(f,ndi)binary 1 if NDI crop ndi is selected for decision field f; 0 if notvariable NR_(farm) $/farm Net return from farm Objective

TABLE 3 Model Component Variable Descriptions. Name Units DescriptionType di index Index for deficit irrigated crops index f index Index forfield index ndi index Index for non-deficit index irrigated cropsincludes fully-irrigated and dryland numDIWat index Number of levels (s)of water index production functions (ryld_(s)~rirr_(s)) s index Indexfor levels (steps) of net index irrigation that can be selected for a DIcrop; also the index to the associated relative yield aeff_(f)proportion Application efficiency parameter (no for irrigation systemunits) on field f (water delivered to field * application efficiency isthe water available to the crop); 0 ≦ aeff_(f) ≦ 1 nir_(f,di) ac-ft/acSeasonal net irrigation parameter requirement for maximum yield of DIcrop di in field f nir_(f,ndi) ac-ft/ac Seasonal net irrigationparameter requirement for NDI crop ndi; if ndi is a dryland crop thennir_(f,ndi) = 0; numDI integer Number of DI crops in parameter the modelnumNDI integer Number of NDI crops in parameter the model rirr_(f,s)proportion - Relative irrigation in parameter no field f associatedunits with s; This level is selected if SelDIWat_(s) = 1. Theoretically0 ≦ rirr_(f,s) ≦ 1 but we may put reasonable limits on it to help getthe correct decisions ryld_(f,s) proportion - Relative yield of crop diin parameter no field f as indexed by s; units 0 ≦ ryld_(f,s) ≦ 1yld_(f,di) yield Maximum possible yield of parameter units/ac crop DI infield f yld_(f,ndi) yield Yield of crop ndi in field f parameterunits/ac (ndi crop may be fully irrigated or dryland crop) NR_(f,di,s)$/ac Net return if DI crop di is grown on field f NR_(f,ndi) $/ac Netreturn if NDI crop ndi is grown on field f

In this example, dryland crops are included within the optimization asnon-deficit irrigation NDI crops. Crop water production functions arehandled as a simple lookup table for two reasons: 1) avoiding concernsof a linear versus non-linear function in the optimization; and 2) waterproduction functions from any source can be easily entered by the userand including crop production functions brought about by a farmer'spersonal experience gained from operating a plan. In a similar way, newcrop varieties including trial varieties can be entered and considered.

In operation, the optimizer utilizes farmer/user inputs tomathematically optimize future farming operations against a quantifiedor presumed consumptive use water budget associated with the farm. Tooutline the farm and existing or proposed fields, one embodiment of theplanning tool allows the farmer to simply “point and click” boundarypoints over aerial or satellite images of their farm. The farmer theninputs information related to acceptable crops and irrigation practicesthat the farmer is willing to consider by field. Practices forfarmer-consideration include full irrigation, deficit irrigation,dryland crops, and fallowing. Default values for crop market price andper crop input costs are used or any of the default inputs can bechanged as may be desirable from the farmer's experience or perspective.When finished, the farmer has a precise computer-generated map of thefarm that becomes the basis for planning and running scenarios.

A mathematical optimization is performed that is based on the farmer'sinputs to provide a scenario that can be named and saved. Optimizationoutput data compares historical net revenues with the forecast of netrevenues based on the scenario. The forecast of net revenues will likelybe less than the historic net revenues but the lease value of theconsumptive use water is forecast as well. The lease value of the water,when added to the forecast net revenues, will likely exceed the historicnet return.

As the end user of the planner may be a farmer and not an engineer orexpert in the use of the planning and optimization systems, a “friendly”interface, i.e., an interface that does not require much financial datacollection beyond what the farmer inherently knows about their ownoperations and which does not require searching for historical files ordata to be gathered. Further, the mathematical underpinning of theoptimizer is intended to be completely behind the scenes and essentiallyveiled by the user interface, because it is assumed that farmer usersare not concerned with the inner workings of the optimizer. That is,farmer users want believable and understandable results against whichthey can do some “what if” thinking and make decisions about theupcoming cropping year.

FIGS. 9-12 show screen captures of the planner of one embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 9 shows a geographic information system (GIS)style field data entry screen. The user does not need to know a GISprogram or input features to input field data into the system. Dataentry is facilitated by using intuitive point and click tools to overlaythe land boundaries over an aerial or satellite photograph. Fieldboundaries can be input, color coded, named, and resultant acreagereturned. The input screen can be set up to show attributes of interestby selecting suitable layers from the list shown on the left side of themap.

FIG. 10 shows a user interface for inputs of crops that the farmer iswilling to grow along with the acceptability, or not, of certainpractices by the farmer. Also, note the input of maximum and minimumacreage for both irrigated and dryland crops is entered via thisinterface.

FIG. 11 shows reported results of the optimization run and indicates theprojected net return as a function of the farmer's inputs.

FIG. 12 shows reported water allotment for a given optimization scenarioand depicts how the historical CU is split into projected CU and wateravailable for lease. In addition, it depicts the need to maintainhistorical return flows (return flow obligation).

FIG. 13 shows an example of monitored results that are provided by SWIIMManager. These results can be used to generate customized reports.

Referring now to FIG. 14, a system for monitoring the water flow 1400from or to a parcel of land is shown. Here, a stilling well 1402 ispositioned adjacent to a channel 1406. The stilling well 1402 isassociated with a solar-powered 1404 remote terminal unit (RTU) 1408.The RTU 1408 also includes a radio 1410 for communication with the SWIIMManager or mobile data unit described above. In operation, waterentering the stilling well 1402 is monitored and data associated withwater flow is sent via the RTU 1408 to the SWIIM Manager, for example.

Remote terminal units as discussed in FIG. 14 may be essentially acomputer that can be programmed for the specific requirements atindividual sites. The RTU is also generally the point at which sensorsare connected. A site with only one requirement, e.g. monitoring thewater surface elevation in a flume or weir, would have a water levelsensor wired to it. The RTU then communicates to the central system, orconversely, the central system can initiate a time-driven call to theRTU. The RTU can be monitoring one or more sensors, perform logicaloperations, and create an exception report or alarm. If flows or waterlevels exceed a pre-set limit at a point in the canal system, an alarmcan be raised or action can be taken in the form of gate or checkadjustments. Alarms can appear at the central computer or even betransmitted to a mobile phone or pager.

FIG. 15 shows a mobile data gathering system 1500 that is comprised of avehicle 1502 that employs a plurality of data gathering tools. Morespecifically, one embodiment of the present invention employs a datagathering array 1504 with associated GPS locator mounted on atelescoping mast 1506. The array includes near infrared (NIR) cameras1508, thermal cameras 1510, traditional RGB cameras 1512 and otherassociated equipment. The mobile data gathering system 1500 alsoincludes an antenna 1514 to facilitate transfer of data to and from themonitors. In operation, at least a portion of the sensors are connectedto wireless transmission devices that can transfer data to a centraldata collection location. It is envisioned that the equipment integratedonto the vehicle will be dismountable to allow for handheld operationsif the monitors are located in difficult-to-access areas. One skilled inthe art will appreciate that the mobile data gathering system 1500vehicle may be a land based vehicle, an aircraft, or a satellite, forexample. Data collected on the ground may be used to calibrate remotelysensed imagery.

One of skill in the art will appreciate that the methods describedherein may be performed by a computer via a web service. FIG. 16illustrates a block diagram of a system 800 that may use a web serviceconnector to integrate an application with a web service. The system 800includes one or more user computers 805, 810, and 815. The usercomputers 805, 810, and 815 may be general purpose personal computers(including, merely by way of example, personal computers and/or laptopcomputers running various versions of Microsoft Corp.'s and/or AppleCorp.'s operating systems) and/or workstation computers running any of avariety of commercially-available UNIX or UNIX-like operating systems.These user computers 805, 810, 815 may also have any of a variety ofapplications, including for example, database client and/or serverapplications, and web browser applications. Alternatively, the usercomputers 805, 810, and 815 may be any other electronic device, such asa tablet computer, internet-enabled mobile telephone, and/or personaldigital assistant, capable of communicating via a network (e.g., thenetwork 820 described below) and/or displaying and navigating web pagesor other types of electronic documents. Although the exemplary system800 is shown with three user computers, any number of user computers maybe supported.

The system 1600 further includes a network 1620. The network 1620 can beany type of network familiar to those skilled in the art that cansupport data communications using any of a variety ofcommercially-available protocols, including without limitation TCP/IP,SNA, IPX, AppleTalk, and the like. Merely by way of example, the network1620 may be a local area network (“LAN”), such as an Ethernet network, aToken-Ring network and/or the like; a wide-area network; a virtualnetwork, including without limitation a virtual private network (“VPN”);the interne; an intranet; an extranet; a public switched telephonenetwork (“PSTN”); an infra-red network; a wireless network (e.g., anetwork operating under any of the IEEE 802.11 suite of protocols, theBluetooth® protocol known in the art, and/or any other wirelessprotocol); and/or any combination of these and/or other networks.

The system may also include one or more server computers 1625, 1630. Oneserver may be a web server 1625, which may be used to process requestsfor web pages or other electronic documents from user computers 1605,1610, and 1620. The web server can be running an operating systemincluding any of those discussed above, as well as anycommercially-available server operating systems. The web server 1625 canalso run a variety of server applications, including HTTP servers, FTPservers, CGI servers, database servers, Java servers, and the like. Insome instances, the web server 1625 may publish operations availableoperations as one or more web services.

The system 1600 may also include one or more file and or/applicationservers 1630, which can, in addition to an operating system, include oneor more applications accessible by a client running on one or more ofthe user computers 1605, 1610, 1615. The server(s) 1630 may be one ormore general purpose computers capable of executing programs or scriptsin response to the user computers 1605, 1610 and 1615. As one example,the server may execute one or more web applications. The web applicationmay be implemented as one or more scripts or programs written in anyprogramming language, such as Java™, C, C# or C++, and/or any scriptinglanguage, such as Perl, Python, or TCL, as well as combinations of anyprogramming/scripting languages. The application server(s) 1630 may alsoinclude database servers, including without limitation thosecommercially available from Oracle, Microsoft, Sybase™, IBM™ and thelike, which can process requests from database clients running on a usercomputer 1605.

In some embodiments, an application server 1630 may create web pagesdynamically for displaying the development system. The web pages createdby the web application server 1630 may be forwarded to a user computer1605 via a web server 1625. Similarly, the web server 1625 may be ableto receive web page requests, web services invocations, and/or inputdata from a user computer 1605 and can forward the web page requestsand/or input data to the web application server 1630.

In further embodiments, the server 1630 may function as a file server.Although for ease of description, FIG. 17 illustrates a separate webserver 1625 and file/application server 1630, those skilled in the artwill recognize that the functions described with respect to servers1625, 1630 may be performed by a single server and/or a plurality ofspecialized servers, depending on implementation-specific needs andparameters.

The system 1600 may also include a database 1635. The database 1635 mayreside in a variety of locations. By way of example, database 1635 mayreside on a storage medium local to (and/or resident in) one or more ofthe computers 1605, 1610, 1615, 1625, 1630. Alternatively, it may beremote from any or all of the computers 1605, 1610, 1615, 1625, 1630,and in communication (e.g., via the network 1620) with one or more ofthese. In a particular set of embodiments, the database 1635 may residein a storage-area network (“SAN”) familiar to those skilled in the art.Similarly, any necessary files for performing the functions attributedto the computers 1605, 1610, 1615, 1625, 1630 may be stored locally onthe respective computer and/or remotely, as appropriate. In one set ofembodiments, the database 1635 may be a relational database, such asOracle 10i®, that is adapted to store, update, and retrieve data inresponse to SQL-formatted commands.

FIG. 17 illustrates one embodiment of a computer system 1700 upon whicha web service connector or components of a web service connector may bedeployed or executed. The computer system 1700 is shown comprisinghardware elements that may be electrically coupled via a bus 1755. Thehardware elements may include one or more central processing units(CPUs) 1705; one or more input devices 1710 (e.g., a mouse, a keyboard,etc.); and one or more output devices 1715 (e.g., a display device, aprinter, etc.). The computer system 1700 may also include one or morestorage device 1720. By way of example, storage device(s) 1720 may bedisk drives, optical storage devices, solid-state storage device such asa random access memory (“RAM”) and/or a read-only memory (“ROM”), whichcan be programmable, flash-updateable and/or the like.

The computer system 1700 may additionally include a computer-readablestorage media reader 1725; a communications system 1730 (e.g., a modem,a network card (wireless or wired), an infra-red communication device,etc.); and working memory 1740, which may include RAM and ROM devices asdescribed above. In some embodiments, the computer system 1700 may alsoinclude a processing acceleration unit 1735, which can include a DSP, aspecial-purpose processor and/or the like.

The computer-readable storage media reader 1725 can further be connectedto a computer-readable storage medium, together (and, optionally, incombination with storage device(s) 1720) comprehensively representingremote, local, fixed, and/or removable storage devices plus storagemedia for temporarily and/or more permanently containingcomputer-readable information. The communications system 1730 may permitdata to be exchanged with the network 1720 and/or any other computerdescribed above with respect to the system 1700.

The computer system 1700 may also comprise software elements, shown asbeing currently located within a working memory 1740, including anoperating system 1745 and/or other code 1750, such as program codeimplementing a web service connector or components of a web serviceconnector. It should be appreciated that alternate embodiments of acomputer system 1700 may have numerous variations from that describedabove. For example, customized hardware might also be used and/orparticular elements might be implemented in hardware, software(including portable software, such as applets), or both. Further,connection to other computing devices such as network input/outputdevices may be employed.

In the foregoing description, for the purposes of illustration, methodswere described in a particular order. It should be appreciated that inalternate embodiments, the methods may be performed in a different orderthan that described. It should also be appreciated that the methodsdescribed above may be performed by hardware components or may beembodied in sequences of machine-executable instructions, which may beused to cause a machine, such as a general-purpose or special-purposeprocessor or logic circuits programmed with the instructions to performthe methods. These machine-executable instructions may be stored on oneor more machine readable mediums, such as CD-ROMs or other type ofoptical disks, floppy diskettes, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magneticor optical cards, flash memory, or other types of machine-readablemediums suitable for storing electronic instructions. Alternatively, themethods may be performed by a combination of hardware and software.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been describedin detail, it is apparent that modifications and alterations of thoseembodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to beexpressly understood that such modifications and alterations are withinthe scope and spirit of the present invention, as set forth in thefollowing claims. In addition, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein ismeant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereofas well as additional items.

What is claimed is:
 1. An irrigation system for use in a farmingoperation having a plurality of farming sites, comprising: an irrigationcontrol system comprising at least one computer system having a farmmanagement tool configured to implement and regulate an improvedirrigation plan for at least one of the farming sites, the computersystem having: 1) at least one application server having at least onefirst processor, the at least one processor having software configuredas a planner module and an optimizer module; 2) at least one secondprocessor having a software tool providing a client interface, thesoftware tool configured to communicate with the at least oneapplication server; 3) at least one remote server configured tocommunicate with the farm management tool, which is accessible thoughthe client interface, the farm management tool also configured tocommunicate with the planner module of the at least one applicationserver; a first monitoring system having first data collection devices,first data storage devices, and first data communication devices, thecommunication devices further comprising at least one wirelesscommunication device configured to transmit data to the at least oneremote server; the data collection devices of the first monitoringsystem further comprising: soil measuring devices having at least one ofa tensiometer, a gypsum block, and a capacitance sensor;evapotranspiration measuring devices having at least one of remotethermal unit recorders, data loggers, and thermal and near infraredimagers; weather monitoring equipment comprising at least one oftemperature probes, relative humidity probes, precipitation gauges,anemometers, pyranometers, Bowen ratio equipment, eddy covarianceequipment, scintillometers, near infrared and heat signature cameras,and evapotranspiration sensors; rainfall sensors; crop sensors; returnwater flow sensors; water use sensors; ground water sensors; and waterflow measurement devices having at least one of flumes, weirs, propellermeters, pressure transducers, shaft encoders, flow velocity sensors, andultrasonic level sensors; a second monitoring system having second datacollection devices, second data storage devices, and second datacommunication devices, the communication devices further comprising atleast one wireless communication device configured to transmit data tothe at least one remote server; the data collection devices of thesecond monitoring system further comprising: soil measuring deviceshaving at least one of a tensiometer, a gypsum block, and a capacitancesensor; evapotranspiration measuring devices having at least one ofremote thermal unit recorders, data loggers, and thermal and nearinfrared imagers; weather monitoring equipment comprising at least oneof temperature probes, relative humidity probes, precipitation gauges,anemometers, pyranometers, Bowen ratio equipment, eddy covarianceequipment, scintillometers, near infrared and heat signature cameras,and evapotranspiration sensors; rainfall sensors; crop sensors; returnwater flow sensors; water use sensors; ground water sensors; and waterflow measurement devices having at least one of flumes, weirs, propellermeters, pressure transducers, shaft encoders, flow velocity sensors, andultrasonic level sensors; wherein the planner module is configured toreceive input data from the client interface defining at least one of afirst farming site configuration and a second farming site configurationof the plurality of farming sites, the input data comprising: 1) initialfarm configuration data comprising: dimensions of at least one of thefirst farming site and the second farming site, crops grown on theplurality of farming sites, acceptable crops to be grown on theplurality of farming sites, water currently used to irrigate theplurality of farming sites, current irrigation schedules associated withthe plurality of farming sites, 2) user-defined constraints, decisionvariables, and model parameters, the user-defined constraints, decisionvariables, and model parameters comprising one or more of total farmacreage, site acreage, available water consumptive use, minimum andmaximum percent of full irrigation that can be applied, crop type,amount of water available for each site, crop water production functionsand variable crop production costs, site soil type, and site irrigationmethod, and 3) historical farm data; wherein said planner module isconfigured to communicate said input data to the optimizer module,wherein the optimizer module is configured to analyze and calculate amaximized net return for the farming operation, the analyzing andcalculating being performed according to the following:${NR}_{farm} = {\sum\limits_{f = 1}^{numfld}{{fldsize}_{f} \cdot \left\{ {{\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}\left\{ {{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\left\lbrack {p_{ndi} - {vc}_{ndi}} \right\rbrack \cdot {yld}_{f,{ndi}}} - {fc}_{ndi} - {\left\lbrack \left( {{nir}_{f,{ndi}}/{aeff}_{f}} \right) \right\rbrack \cdot {vic}_{f}} - {fic}_{f}} \right\rbrack} \right\}} + {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{{selDI}_{f,{di}} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\sum\limits_{s = 1}^{numDIWat}\left\{ {{selDIWat}_{f,s} \cdot \left\lbrack {{\left\lbrack {p_{di} - {vc}_{di}} \right\rbrack \cdot {yld}_{f,{di}} \cdot {ryld}_{f,s}} - {\left\lbrack \frac{{nir}_{f,{di}}}{{aeff}_{f}} \right\rbrack \cdot {rirr}_{f,s} \cdot {vic}_{f}}} \right\rbrack} \right\}} - {fic}_{f} - {fc}_{di}} \right\rbrack}} - {\left\lbrack {1 - {\sum\limits_{{ndi} = 1}^{numNDI}{selNDI}_{f,{ndi}}} - {\sum\limits_{{di} = 1}^{numDI}{selDI}_{f,{di}}}} \right\rbrack \cdot {falcost}}} \right\}}}$wherein ndi is an index for non-deficit irrigated crops; whereinNR_(farm) is the net return of the farm; wherein fldsize_(f) is the sizeof a farming site; wherein selNDI_(f,ndi) is an optimizer moduledecision variable that equals 1, if a non-deficit irrigation crop isselected for farming site f, and 0, if not; wherein di is an index fordeficit irrigated crops; wherein p_(ndi) is a selling price of anon-deficit irrigation crop; wherein p_(di) is a selling price of adeficit irrigation crop; wherein vc_(ndi) is a cost for a non-deficitirrigation crop that depends on the yield; wherein vc_(di) is a cost fora deficit irrigation crop that depends on the yield; wherein yld_(f,ndi)is a maximum possible yield of a non-deficit irrigated crop in farmingsite f; wherein fc_(ndi) is a fixed cost for growing a non-deficitirrigation crop; wherein fc_(di) is a fixed cost for growing a deficitirrigation crop; wherein nir_(f,ndi) is a seasonal net irrigationrequirement for a non-deficit irrigation crop if the non-deficitirrigation crop is a dryland crop then nir_(f,ndi)=0; wherein aeff_(f)is an application efficiency for irrigation system on farming site f(water delivered to farming site times the application efficiency is thewater available to the crop); wherein vicf is a variable irrigationcosts that depends on the amount of irrigation used; whereinselDI_(f,di) is an optimizer module decision variable that equals 1 if anon-deficit irrigation crop is selected for farming site f, 0 if not;wherein selDlWatf,s is an optimizer module decision variable that equals1 if a level s of deficit irrigation is chosen for farming site f, 0otherwise; wherein ryld_(f,s) is a relative yield of a deficit irrigatedcrop in farming site f as indexed by s, 0≦ryld_(f,s)≦1, wherein nirf,diis a seasonal net irrigation requirement for maximum yield of a deficitirrigation crop in farming site f, wherein rirr_(f,s) is relativeirrigation in farming site f associated with s, this level is selectedif SelDIWat_(s)=1; wherein ficf is a fixed cost of irrigation; andwherein falcost is a cost to fallow; wherein the first processorexecuting the optimizer module is further configured to estimate futureconsumptive water use and an estimated water balance associated with thefarming operation; wherein the first processor is further configured tocommunicate the future consumptive water use and the estimated waterbalance to the planner module; wherein the first processor executing theplanner module is configured to receive the estimated future consumptivewater use, the estimated water balance, and the maximized net returnfrom the optimizer, and utilizing the maximized net return, estimatedfuture consumptive water use, and estimated water balance, generates afarm utilization plan comprising: 1) a second arrangement of a pluralityof farming sites, which includes the first farming site configurationand the second farming site configuration, 2) a suggested crop to begrown or not grown on the first farming site and the second farmingsite, 3) an annual water budget to be used on the first farming site andthe second farming site, 4) the improved irrigation schedule; and 5) acrop optimization routine to optimize future consumptive water use. 2.The system of claim 1 wherein the local cropping scenario data includesinformation related to historical crop prices and forecasted orcontracted crop prices.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first cropand the second crop comprise at least one of corn, wheat, barley,alfalfa, pinto beans, sugar beets, onions, cabbage, carrots, winterwheat, canola, sorghum, millet, and sunflower.
 4. The system of claim 1,wherein the first farming site and the second farming site are eachassociated with a different crop.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein thefarm utilization plan defines a preferred method of irrigation to beused to water the first farming site and the second farming site.
 6. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein generation of the farm utilization planfurther includes forwarding crop yield data to the planner systemwherein the farm utilization plan is dependent on the crop yield data.7. The system of claim 1, wherein the farm utilization plan includes asingle or multi-year crop rotation, water balance allocation, andirrigation schedule.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first andsecond monitoring systems gather data without human intervention.
 9. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the client interface is a mobile device. 10.The system of claim 1, wherein the first monitoring system and thesecond monitoring system are configured to gather information from atleast one of a tracer test, an aquifer test, data from satellites andlow altitude aerial gathering techniques, data from aircrafts, and datafrom a land-based vehicles.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the firstmonitoring system and the second monitoring system obtains data from atleast one of aerial photography, aerial sensing means, local weatherstations, ground level measurements, and satellite imagery.
 12. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising redesigning at least one of afirst irrigation system, ground water recharge system, and waterdiversion structures in compliance with the farm utilization plan.